Shaw and O'Sullivan start well at Q-School

Six of Ireland’s 22 aspirants are on course to progress through the First Stage (Section A) of the European Tour Qualifying School.

Lurgan’s Gareth Shaw hit a level par 72 to share second place at windlashed Dundonald as Galway’s Mark O'Sullivan cracked a six-under par 66 at Chart Hills to grab a share of third.

A total of 383 aspiring Tour professionals are vying for approximately 94 places at Second Stage at three Section A venues.

Denmark’s Philip Jacobsen set the standard with a breathtaking opening round of ten under par 62 at Fleesensee Golf Club in Germany to take a four stroke lead from his countryman Knud Storgaard and Finland’s Tuomas Tuovinen.

Of the 132 players in the field at Fleesensee, the top 30 (and all players tied for 30th place) will win a place to Second Stage with Mallow’s Mervyn Owens tied for 15th after a 68.

The same number of players will qualify to Second Stage from Chart Hills Golf Club in England, where Sweden’s Oskar Henningsson fired a brilliant nine under par 63 to lead by two shots England’s Andy Smith in second place after an opening 65.

At Dundonald Links in Scotland, where the top 26 players (and ties) from the 116 starters will move onto Second Stage, England’s Craig Goodfellow was the only player in the field to shoot under par, with his three under 69 an outstanding display of talent given the testing conditions on Scotland’s often brutal west coast.

Great start for Irish at Q-School

David Higgins, Eddie Barr and Mervyn Owens were the best of the bunch as eight of Ireland’s 25-strong contingent broke par on the in the first round of The European Tour First Qualifying Stage – Section B.

David HigginsWaterville man Higgins, 36, fired a four under par 68 to share second place at the Oxfordshire, a stroke behind Scot Gavin Dear, with St Margaret’s John Kelly and Mallow's Michael Collins tied for ninth after two under par 70s.

Australia based Barr hit a four under par 68 at Golf de Moliets in France where former European Tour player, Olivier David is leading after an opening 64.

Barr is joint 14th while Limerick’s Cian McNamara and Newbridge man Paul O’Hanlon made positive starts with one under 71s leaving them tied 30th.

Former South of Ireland champion Owens, who plays regularly on the EPD mini tour in Germany, lit it up at Fleesensee G&C near Berlin with a five under 67 as Walker Cup star Niall Kearney opened with an excellent 71.

Solid start for Irish at Q-School

Seven of Ireland’s 12 challengers broke par at Stage Two of the European Tour Qualifying School with four of them inside the qualifying places after the opening day.

Simon ThorntonA total of 304 players are competing at four venues in Spain with a total of 74 spots up for grabs in next week's Final Qualifying Stage at PGA Golf Catalunya where the top 30 and ties after six rounds will earn full tour cards.

Simon Thornton (68) and Colm Moriarty (69) are inside the top 18 at Sherry Golf but while Mick McGeady (71) is just two shots outside the magic number, David Higgins (72) and Eddie Barr (74) have more work to do.

Turner on fire a Q School

Muskerry’s Niall Turner blasted a brilliant seven under par 64 at Golf d’Hardelot to grab a share of halfway lead with Welshman Mark Laskey at the European Tour First Qualifying Stage – Section C. Royal Dubin’s Neil O’Briain, Limerick’s Cian McNamara and Lurgan’s Gareth Shaw, in Italy, were also inside the qualifying places with two rounds to go.